Automatic stamping machine



June 22, 1948. w. H. SANDERS ET AL AUTOMATIC STAMPING MACHINE 3 SheeQs-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1945 I n ven to rs a m SM.

w m w 5% (ON VE YOR June 22, 1948. w. H'. SANDERS ETAL 2,443,779

AUTOMATIC STAMPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 22, 1945 Inventor: dzfzZ/zam H Sanders C/zarZes 5. Mar/cs,

w mgz a Attorneys Patented June 22, 194$ UNITED PATENT OFFICE :William H. Sanders, Henderson, and Charles B. ,Marks ;l \lorth Las Vegas, Nev.

Application ranuarygzz, 1945, Serial No. evas'zo This invention relates to stamping maehines and to other machines of this type performing a large number Ofoperations in: suecessionand it has "for 'its main obiect to-providea stamping or other :machine provided with a head -stri'king against an object whichfissimple fdesign and reliable-in operation, :doessnot require maintenanceand islnoticonne'ctedapositiveliyzior layipermanent intervening .mecham'sms with the cone veyor :oriother feeding. mechanisms-which brings the objects to the operatednon dntouanopeEa-tive position so that :it i may be mounted; on ,-.any=.conv nor. rotatin table or o her @iee ne. ir eclrlani sm.

liaise-turmoi :object.of, the 'nven en-m on ratethe stamping-machine automatically a the passage of each objector; at-certain desired time intervals orafter the passage. of oer tainstretches of .a conveyor without .using .any positive connection betweenthose,par-tsoi-the stampinemachine whichare trip ed or moved by the "passageof objects orof theirvconveying means and, helhead', die or matrix carrying/mechanism; this. ,nrlection permitting independent movement of. all parts" so that clogging or damage to the "entire machine is avoided when one of the'partsi's moved orisjamm'ed accidentally.

It is a furtherobject'of the invention toconstruct a "simple machine-in l'ittlepower-is requir'edto start the operation oi the-stamping machine, this little power being, however, {urnishedby the stamping machine'itselfi when i released :for operation by the conveying;'orzzfieeding mechanism.

still-further object ot the invention consists iniusing oompressedcairfor; operatihei h mping: machinegthenlatter havine'sunh saisimpltfiied desigmthat it operates oneavalverorrly;

Further objects will be apparentafromztheefollowing detailed speeificatiqmwhichi describes two modifications of the-invention Bare-: also illustratediin the aecompanying.dizawi gs;

Imthes-e'd-rawings: V

Figured-is an elevational-.-side view of the entire stamping machine showing-a smal-1 ,.poi}tion oi a-conveyor carrying-the obiects to .bfii tfingled in order to.,.iIl11stra.te itsoperation.

Figure amen elevational ,frontview of the stamping machine.

Figure 3 is an elevational sectional view of part of the stamping machine' xthe'section being taken through' the, cylinder alonjef'line 3'=3f.of Figure '1.

Figure- '5- is a sectional top viewythe section 'being'takenalong 1ine*5=--i5' oPFigureB.

Figures 6: and 7* are sectional views of details, Figure *6 i-llustratingthe mountihgpf 'the sleeve carryingth e stamping 'ontheapi'ston rod.

i e?! is a sectional view of a modificationof the air cylinder:

-It is to he understood that the nature of the operation performed on the. object by means :of the -macl'li'ne hereinafter called. a stamping :machine is :not material andis, in fact, not connected with the invention. The operation performed maybe a istamping opelfation, requiring a stamping head-or die, an impression requiring a matrix, a simple printing operation using or colors .requirin'gta', printing .head, or the operationmay simplyiheused todrive in some clamp, nailor other fixing means by a-blow, this requiring merelyxa head with. suitable: surface. In .the following specification, the member which is pressed or struck against theiolojectiscalled a head .or a stamping die but itiis to be understood. that this term is v only used asan. abbreviation for an enumeration designed toi'nclude all the above-.menfioned'memloers andsome further members which. will suggest themselvesto those skilll ed in the art.v

JIt-Jis also ton-h e understood'that in accordance with this operation, the titleior designation appliecLtozthe'inven-tion has to be modifiediand that the title: stamping. machine isian abbreviation used to avoid enumerations of various titlesand includes all :the designations applied to the machines above enumerated.

.The stamping machine according tothe inven tion consists essentially of the air cylinder it with piston .H, piston rod I 2, head I 3 and of the airinlet valve l4tan'd of its operating mech-- anism generally designatedbyvthe reference meral I5 .and of. the pendulum. lit and. arm H operating the .valve mechanism l5.

.Theqair cylinder fll-,.;as shown :in Figure 3, is provided with a piston l t whichis supportembetween a return spring 18 and an upper spring l9 opposing eachothiir, the latter -;being' much weaker than the iormer. The piston M is provided with the: conventional leather or rubber cup 20 and is flXB d on a squarepiston rod {2 by: means of a, screw -bolt-=2 I proj eating therefrom.

The lower .part of the cylinder is closedby a lid? 2 2 .fixed; in the conventional rnanner by screws 23 andpamzying a guide. piece 2.4 with. a -sqnare hole 25,1;hrough which. the piston-rod f2 passes. The ;.guide piece vholds the square piston rod- 12 in its position and prevents rotationofthey-same and of ,thehead i3. carried- ,by it.

the upper part oflthecylinder is provided with an 7 air inlet opening 26Kand is. cl'osediby. a lid '2'? fixedltofthe piston by screws'iif, carrying. alpl'ug. 28 provided with an air escape hole 29.

The piston-is shown in its tu'apermostv position in igure. It, ithereforenc'annot overrunit'he airin letjlfl;

The latterois connected by a tubulanextension 3U...to the inl'etv'alvearran bnient 1,4 .whichconsists of a, housing 32 surronndinglthe valvev 3"3ianolv valve seat 134 and thejpl'lshrod '35 forthe same. The, latter is guided, in 1a; 'lon'g'fbronze guide 3-1 brazed to the elbow 80 which is supporting the housing by means of a nipple 4|. Its lower end is screw-threaded (as shown at 38) and carried several nuts 39 serving as adjustable stops. It also is provided with a shoulder or collar 36 for seating it on the guide 31, which acts as a stop.

The valve 33 itself is a conventional flapper check valve such as used in installations of all kinds.

A shaft 32 is supported on a suitable support arm 43 secured to an angle piece 44 attached to the cylinder or to some part connected with it. On the other side, said shaft is supported by a supporting nut 45 secured to a vertical angle piece 46 screweddirectly or by means of a spacing plate to the cylinder I0.

On the shaft 42 a sleeve 48 is mounted and held which carries the pendulum it, which consists of a steel spring 49 and a weight 50.

The steel spring is bent around the sleeve and is firmly secured thereon by welding or by some mechanic-a1 fixation means. The weight is attached to the spring 49 by screws and carries a trip finger 5| which projects into the path of the conveyor 52 or adjacent thereto, and which may be moved by trip contact 53 projecting from the conveyor 52 and arranged on the same at suitable distances.

The object 54 to be stamped, impressed, printed or otherwise acted upon is shown. as placed on the conveyor 52.

The sleeve 48 which carries the pendulum 16 also carries the arm 11 which may be integral with the sleeve. Said arm carries sleeve-like projection 55 provided with internal screw threads into which a screw bolt 56 is fitted which carries an operating 'head 51 and which may be fixed in the projection by means of a counternut 58.

The head 51 serves as an operating means for the push rod 36 and is so adjusted that it is clear of the end of the rod and at a small distance therefrom.

The piston rod 12 carries the stamp holder sleeve 59 by means of screws 6| to which the stamp head, die, matrix or the like I3 is fixed by means of its stem 60 and screws 62.

For operating the stamping machine, the-air inlet arrangement I4 is connected with a pipe 64 containing compressed air. I

When the conveyor or table 52 with the objects 54 placed on them is running, the trip contact projections 53 swings the pendulum IE to the left (in Figure l) in the direction of the arrow. The sleeve 48 is rotated and the arm I1 is moved downwardly. After having carried the trip finger 5!, through a certain distance the trip finger will slip off the tripcontact 53 allowing the pendulum is to return under the infiuence of weight 58. Thereby the sleeve 48 is rotated in the opposite direction and arm 11 is moved upwardly.

The pendulum therefore starts to operate at a predetermined time interval after one of the conveyor trip fingers has reached a predetermined position, at which the pendulum is released.

The head 51 lifts the push rod 35 only for a short distance during the movement of the arm l1 as the stop nuts 39 arrest the movement of the rod 35 when it reaches the sleeve 31, and thereby arrest the head 51 on arm 11. The momentum of the pendulum due to the weight will, however, carry the pendulum further to the right, and this results in an elastic deformation of the spring 49 until its tension stops the further movement of the pendulum. The accumulated tension of the spring 49 now starts the pendulum on its return movement. When the flapper valve 33 was opened during the forward movement of the pendulum compressed air, en-

- tering through-inlet 26, moves piston ll downwardly and operates head l3. When the pendulum starts on its return movement arm I1 moves downwardly, head 51 moves away from end 38 of push rod'35, and the air pressure together with the action of gravity close the flapper valve 33.

The return spring l8 pushes the piston back, the air escapes slowly through opening 29 of plug 28 and the piston returns to its normal position, the upper spring preventing its movement beyond the pre-determined limit.

The conveyor movement and the operation of the air admission valve to the cylinder are thus linked in a manner which is equivalent to a. positive linkage, but which is nevertheless time controlled. This linkage also permits to produce a valve movement over a short distance with considerable force, using the steady and continuous advance of the conveyor carrying the goods to be treated, as a source for such movement.

The pendulum may, if the trip contacts are arranged at considerable distance from each other, perform several oscillations but their amplitude is not large enough to open valve 33 until again lifted by the trip contact 53.

In the modification shown in Figure 8 no return spring is used in order to accelerate the return of the piston l I. The latter may be provided with piston rings 65. The cylinder is provided with ports 66, 61 and a communication channel 68 is arranged between them. a

When air rushes in it will push the piston II downwardly until it reaches the position between the two ports 66, 61. In this moment compressed air flows to the lower half of the cylinder below the piston, stops the movement of the piston and as soon as the flapper valve has been closed during the, return of the pendulum this compressed air overcomes the pressure in the upper half of the cylinder which communicates with the outer air by means of the opening in the plug 28. The piston stops when equalization of pressure has been reached, but it may be preferable to use the upper spring [9 shown in Figure 3 also with this modification to avoid accidental overrunning of the correct position.

It is to be understood that the fact that merely two modifications of the invention are shown is not to be interpreted in a limitative way. The modifications illustrated show embodiments by way of example and other embodiments and modifications are clearly within the ambit and scope of the appended claims, even if some other members, parts and combination of parts ar used or some further members or mechanisms are added.

What we claim is:

a 1. An automatic stamping, marking, printing or hammering device comprising a conveyor carrying work pieces, a striking head periodically striking against said workpiece, pneumatic means for actuating said striking head, a pendulum suspended for free oscillation, means on said con veyor for engaging said pendulum, for displacing it with respect to its position of rest, and for releasing it at a predetermined distance from said position of rest for return -by free oscillation, and means on said pendulum for controlling the air admission to said pneumatic means during said return stroke.

2. An automatic stamping, marking, printing or hammering device comprising a conveyor carrying work pieces, a striking head periodically moved against said work pieces, pneumatic means for actuating said striking head, a pendulum comprising an elastic arm, suspended for free oscillation around a fulcrum, means for controlling the pneumatic actuating means for the striking heads, means carried by the conveyor for engaging said pendulum, displacing it with respect to its position of rest, and for releasing it at a predetermined distance from said position for return by free oscillation, means operatively and positively connected with the pendulum for controlling the air admission to said pneumatic means, said means including a striking member arrested in its motion when becoming operative and arresting the movement of the pendulum around the fulcrum, the pendulum continuing its motion under deformation of the elastic arm upon arrest of the movement around its fulcrum.

3. In an automatic stamping, marking, printing or hammering device, a conveyor carrying work pieces, a striking head moved periodically against said work pieces, an air cylinder and a piston for moving said striking head, means controlling the air admission into said cylinder including a substantially stationary control member capable of performing a limited control movement, operating means for said air admission controlling means, including a pendulum with a weight carried by an elastic pendulum arm, suspended for free oscillation around a fulcrum, n

position of rest for a return movement by free oscillation, a striking member for operating said control member, positively connected with the Pendulum d ed for striking against the control member in a position reached after the passage of the position of rest during the return movement of the pendulum following release of the same, the striking of the control member arresting the movement of the pendulum around its fulcrum and producing elastic deformation of the arm, thereby generating a return impulse towards the position of rest after a predetermined interval,

4. In an automatic stamping, marking, printing or hammering device, a conveyor carrying work pieces, a striking head moved against said work pieces, an air cylinder and a piston for moving the striking head, means for admitting air into said cylinder, said means including an air admission pipe and a check valve, means for operating said check valve including a push rod performing a limited stroke, a pendulum having a weight and an elastic pendulum arm, suspended for free oscillation around a fulcrum, a rigid arm operatively connected with said pendulum, a striking head on said rigid arm, means on said conveyor for positively engaging said pendulum arm, for displacing it, and for releasing it after displacement and after having travelled with the conveyor for a predetermined distance, said pendulum returning after release by free oscillation, said rigid arm and striking head being arranged on said pendulum so as to strike against said push rod when the pendulum has performed more than one half of the return stroke but less than a full return stroke, the striking head upon being arrested, arresting further movement of the pendulum around the fulcrum and entailing elastic deformation of the pendulum arm, thus producing the impulse urging the pendulum arm towards the position of rest after a predetermined interval.

5. An automatic stamping, printing, marking or hammering device, comprising a conveyor for carrying work pieces, a striking head moved against said work pieces, an air cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod carrying the head forced against said object, means to supply said cylinder with compressed air, an air inlet valve, a push rod for operating and opening said valve, a stop on said push rod for limiting its stroke, a rocking shaft, mounted for free oscillation around its axis, a weighted pendulum fixedly connected with said shaft, said pendulum including an elastic pendulus arm and a Weight carried by it near its end, a rigid arm mounted on said rocking shaft, a striking member on said arm, a trip fin ger on said pendulum, tripping lugs on said conveyor, adapted to engage said trip fingers, to move said pendulum positively over a predetermined stretch into an inclined position and to release it for return by a free oscillating movement upon completion of said stretch, the rigid arm and its striking member being so disposed that the latter is moved towards the push rod during the return movement of the pendulum, strikes the push rod and is arrested thereby after the pendulum and the rocking shaft have completed more than one-half but less than a complete oscillating return movement, thereby producing elastic deformation of the pendulum arm, and an impulse towards return into the position of rest upon arrest of the pendulum.

WILLIAM H. SANDERS. CHARLES B, MARKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 337,837 Kriete et a1. Mar. 16, 1886 1,925,236 Doyle et al. Sept. 5, 1933 1,929,703 McDonough Oct. 10, 1933 2,113,867 weymouth Apr, 12, 1938 

